METAL GEAR SOLID: Ode to The Boss (The Joy)
by Nickelman
Summary: A history of the woman who became the mother of American special forces; The Boss (AKA: The Joy). From her upbringing as the daughter of a founding member of the Philosophers, through the struggles and challenges of being on the edge of a world constantly at war.


_Hope everyone digs this imagining of the history of The Boss. _

_I'd let her disassemble my handgun any day. AHEM._

_Thank you._

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**METAL GEAR SOLID**

_**Ode to The Boss (The Joy)**_

**CHAPTER I**

Similar to how children born to busy parents may relocate often, never feeling like they have a hometown, the young woman who would be later be referred to in history as The Boss never felt like she had a real name.

During the rare times her and her father were at their home, or rather, 'legal address' in Pennsylvania, she would be called Joy. She quite liked that name. It put a smile on her face even thinking of herself as 'Joy'… but this was, unfortunately, how she spent the shorter portion of her days.

For the vast majority of her life, she lived abroad, traveling with her father from place to place; country to country; one area of conflict to the next.

She would have to take a new name every place they went. Whatever country they went to, her father would refer to her as one of the most common names of that country. In England her name would be Emily. In France her name would be Sophie. In Russia her name would be Alexandria. Her Father also made sure, with a strict discipline, that she learn all the commonly spoken languages of these places.

She was constantly an amazing learner.

Her father made sure to physically condition Joy with a series of daily exercises. As he tended to his business during the day, she would study under many teachers in several different fields. The young girl who favored herself as Joy had completed her primary academic curriculum by the age of 14, having been rushed, but not deprived of a full adult's essential education.

She then went on to martial arts training in several different places around the world. Joy went to Japan to learn judo and karate from masters who held three hundred year traditions. She trained at a boxing gym in Moscow, where she had to defend herself from lecherous men, and learned a vital technique in defense against male opponents. At the age of fifteen and three quarters she was allowed to attend a full run of United States Army boot camp. She passed with flying colors in addition to raising the overall morale and performance of the other members of her graduating class.

Upon graduating from boot camp, her father revealed to her things that had been kept secret; the reasons why she had been raised in such an abnormal fashion, and also… why they may not be together very much longer.

Joy's father told her that he was one of the most powerful men in the world.

There were several people like him who, essentially, were the most influential and wealthy individuals in civilization. He informed her that she had been trained to be one of the those to carry on that legacy.

The young woman didn't know how to handle this news, although she believed every word her father told her. He never spoke a lie, although he withheld information from her regularly. He never humored any common parent-child myths such as monsters under beds or tooth fairies, and while this revelation may have answered many questions, she suddenly felt more clueless than ever.

The founding visionaries of this organization referred to themselves as '_**The Wisemen's Committee**_'. It was an assembly of important peoples from Russia, China, as well as the United States, which had originally aimed to maintain relatively peaceful world order, but in more recent times, were being pressured from within their own ranks to use their influence to create world conflict for the sake of profit made from the rapidly growing war industry.

Newer members of this breed of elites had begun to outclass the older members, and Joy's father knew it was only a matter of time before he would be cast out for holding conflicting ideals to the growing majority of those who contended for power.

Within a very short time of revealing these highly guarded secrets to his daughter, he made arrangements for her to be enrolled at one of The Wisesmen's top secret _**'charm schools'**_. These were institutions used by the secret society to train young, female agents, for use all over the globe in top secret operations vital to the interests of The Committee. Joy protested leaving her father, to join what seemed to be a malicious and corrupt organization, but he was able to convince her that it would be the only way to carry on his dream of a higher form of humanity, as well as his vision of a world not divided amongst itself.

She was able to spend one final day in New York City with her father, before she was to board a passenger ship to London, England. The two went to the theater, visited a museum, and cherished every moment they had left together, not once mentioning the future, or the feeling they both shared, that they would never see each other again.

Within a week's time she was in London.

'

Upon leaving the ship she was met by a liaison from the school; a female counselor that coldly introduced herself as Madame Jean. She appeared to be in her late forties, wearing small round spectacles, with her graying hair tied back into a tight bun. Joy's unpleasant expectations appeared to be met with this seemingly unfriendly reception, but nonetheless she stayed collected and polite as she entered the expensive looking automobile with counselor.

On past rides through the English countryside, Joy felt a sense of wonder and peace while passing through the expanse of beautiful green lands and open skies; but this trip to the remote location of the school filled her nervous anticipation. Madame Jean methodically explained to her the rules and procedures of living at the campus, and what would be expected of her during her tenure. Joy was able to respond respectfully and agree to all the counselor had to tell her, flawlessly keeping composure on the outside, but feeling nothing but sorrow in her thoughts.

Her emotions began to soften as they approached the grounds of the school. After passing the outer perimeter guard posts, Joy saw for the first time, the beautiful grounds of what was officially known as the 'Bravo-Anglo Charm School'. The entrance lawn was tastefully laid out with shady trees and well groomed, flower-blooming shrubs. She saw young women close in age to herself sitting on blankets, conversing with one another, as well as others jogging in formation around winding sidewalk paths. Seeing the latter made her feel more relieved, being more familiar with the military structure of life than a social one.

The counselor's car pulled up to the front doors of the massive main building of the school. Madame Jean handed her a folder of her essential papers and took this moment to inform Joy that her name from this moment forward would be 'Anna'.

Joy, wondering what she meant by 'this moment forward', took the papers and politely bid farewell to the dry woman, whom she hoped she would never see again.

She made her way to the front office and presented her information. Joy, who would now be referred to as Anna by every person she met, was led by an upperclasswoman to her quarters. The dormitories were arranged so that each student had her own bedroom, which led out to a large parlor that served as a community living area. She was introduced to a group of fellow schoolgirls with whom she could sit with at dinner that night. 'Anna' was informed that tomorrow she would spend the day taking placement tests to determine her courses of study. Her classmates warned her of the exhausting and difficult nature of the exam, but this didn't worry Joy in the very least. In her entire life, the only times she felt fully in control… was when she was being challenged by others.

Before going to bed that night, Joy wrote a letter to her father. She would later learn that students of the charm school were not permitted to communicate with anybody outside the campus. This wouldn't matter anyway in Joy's case, because soon she left for England… her father died under mysterious circumstances.

She would not find this out until after the exam.

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Thanks for the read. Review please. I DEMAND IT.


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